Fitting the Mold
by Ebony Leonhart
Summary: Seifer questions himself. Will Quistis be able to help the fallen knight become the hero he is destined to become?
1. Somber Reflections

Author's Note: This is just a short prelude of what is to come. I always like having short chapters because it will allow me to update with new chapters faster. Hopefully I will be able to keep you interested! ( Please read and review.  
  
Disclaimer: I regret to announce that I do not own any minute portion of Squaresoft.  
  
***  
  
Things never seem to turn out the way you expect them to. Sometimes this is what makes life so wonderful. Ironically, it can also be what makes life so hard, so disappointing, and so unbearable at times.  
  
Seifer would have never imagined his life turning out as it had. As a child he had dreamed of swinging his mighty sword around, saving a princess, and becoming a hero. Looking into the mirror now, there was no reflection of that dream.  
  
The scar across his forehead reminded him of his jealousy, hate, and foolishness. These were traits that no proper hero would possess. He had hated Squall, in part because Squall fit the mold of a soldier so much easier than Seifer ever had. He'd been jealous of the attention Squall attracted, jealous of his talent, and jealous of his success. Thus, he'd been foolish and attacked Squall with blind rage, scarring the otherwise perfect man. Seifer would in turn be marked, his scar haunting him as a representation of all his faults.  
  
Seifer also stared at his eyes in the mirror. He hated his eyes with a passion. While he was capable of hiding his attitudes and feelings through his cocky smirk and arrogant body language, he could not silence what his eyes said. They would show fear through his bold façade, sadness through his rage, and thoughtfulness through his indifference. They were like a window that he had always failed to curtain.  
  
He turned away from the mirror, trying to escape the thoughts running through his mind.the summation of which were in one word.  
  
Failure.  
  
The thought of the word was like poison to his blood. Seifer could handle everything but failure, and yet this was all he ever achieved. He supposed that he was successful in the fact that he was consistent. He'd failed to be a SeeD, he'd failed in aiding Ultimecia, and since then, he had failed in all his other endeavors (granted that none had been as extreme as conquering the world though).  
  
A heavy sigh escaped his body. A sudden impulse rushed through him, and soon his fist had made contact with the mirror. Through its scattered shards, the mirror now reflected his unwillingness to see his true self.  
  
His knuckles were now dripping with blood, but he was numb to the pain. Physical pain was no match for the pain that overwhelmed his soul.  
  
He dragged his tired body over to his bed and dropped down onto it, forcing his eyes shut. His hand was flung over the side of the bed, dripping and leaving a puddle beneath it. He was not tired, but he would sleep anyhow. Part of him always felt as though it were sleeping. . 


	2. Moonlit Water's Truths

Author's Notes: Thank you to those of you who reviewed. You gave me motivation to write another chapter. Keep replying and I shall keep writing! ( I hope this is not too slow of a start.  
  
Disclaimer: What's that? You say I don't own Squaresoft? Why all that time I thought I did. Boy do I feel silly.  
  
***  
  
Seifer opened his eyes to a quiet, dark room. The silence was eerie, almost frightening. He wondered when he had fallen asleep, the events of that day seeming very hazy. It was now two in the morning, and he had no idea if he'd just shut his eyes, or if he'd been asleep for hours. He only knew that his body was no longer tired, and decided that he would not waste his time trying to get back to sleep. Of course, it wasn't as though he would make good use of his time awake either.  
  
He stood up and felt a throbbing pain in his hand, the knuckles crusted with blood and swollen. The broken pieces of the mirror sporadically strewn across the floor helped to jog his memory about the earlier events. He vowed he would never own another mirror again and chuckled at the seven years bad luck he had awarded himself. It wasn't as though he would have stood a chance with good luck anyhow, so he mind as well seal his fate.  
  
He did not know exactly where he would go, but knew he did not want to stay in his silent room any longer. He picked up his gray trench coat and walked out of the door into a hallway. The dim lights above him flickered, but illuminated the dust and cobwebs of the space. Seifer knew this motel did not resemble a four star hotel in any way, but it was cheap and he knew that no one would care about his past here. The other people that stayed here were usually rock bottom like he was, so they would not judge Seifer.  
  
He stepped outside, the cool air smacking him in the face. It was a refreshing difference between the stale, hot air of the motel. This air was pure. He took a deep breath and the freshness surged through his lungs.  
  
The motel was on the outskirts of Fisherman's Horizon. Seeking further solitude, Seifer decided not to follow the road into town. Instead he decided he would walk through the open fields toward a pond that lay far ahead. He had been fishing at this pond a few times with his good friends Fujin and Raijin, and it was one of the few places that had pleasant memories associated with it.  
  
The moon was half covered by the clouds, but still allowed him enough light to find his way. It was easy to see the pond ahead, since the gentle waters were illuminated as the moon's glow was reflected away.  
  
When he reached the body of water, he stood at the edge. He thought back to the time directly after the Sorceress War. There had been a trial for him, but it had been determined that Seifer had not acted upon his own will during the war, and he had been released back into the public. The first people he had seen were Fujin and Raijin, and they had welcomed him with open arms. The three had spent their days fishing, traveling, and staying away from the public. Seifer had truly enjoyed this time, and was sad when it came to an end. Fujin and Raijin had been longing to get back to Balamb Garden, and Seifer had been too blind to see it. His friends knew that Seifer would not go back with them, and had been delaying to tell Seifer that they were going to leave. They told Seifer two days before they were scheduled for admittance to Balamb Garden, and Seifer had been very upset. He had said some cruel words and vulgarisms to his friends out of rage, and had not spoken to them the next day, missing his chance to say farewell. Their paths had not crossed since, but Seifer still thought of his comrades every day.  
  
Since his trial ended, Seifer had not seen the six heroes of the war. He did not know if he could face them. He still harbored a lot of hate towards Squall, but not nearly as intense as his hate had been during the war. It was frightening for Seifer to think back on the fury that had been burning inside him during the battles. He never wanted such horrible emotions to overtake his body again. He hoped that he was not capable of such anger and evil without Ultimecia, but he could never be certain. This thought continued to plague him.  
  
Still standing above the glowing water, Seifer looked down and again saw his reflection. He realized that despite all his efforts, there was no way he could escape himself. He had a lot of issues to deal with, and being by himself certainly did not help him. It only left him more time to worry about the past and lose hope for his future. The more he searched for his identity, the more he despised himself.  
  
He walked away from the water, which had disappointed him. What he had once associated with only good memories, was now stirring up skeletons of his past and a dismal future. He knew he needed to take steps to change things in his life, but he felt like he was trying to walk with an earthquake beneath him making every step of the way uncertain.  
  
He stopped in the middle of a field after something had caught his eye. Through a thicket of trees, he had seen a glimmer of something with an outline very similar to.He brushed the impossible thought out of his mind. It couldn't be what he thought it was, could it? He believed his eyes were now betraying him.  
  
He continued forward, quickening his pace now. The closer he came to the object, the more certain he was. His eyes had not betrayed him after all. There, parked in this field, hidden behind some trees, sat Balamb Garden.  
  
He stood a safe distance away, in awe of the large structure. He had not set eyes on the place is such a long time. It seemed like such a strange twist of fate that it had been so close by while he had been contemplating his past.  
  
Seifer imagined all of the people inside who were oblivious to the fact that he was so close by. He hadn't a clue how they would react if they saw him after all that had happened. Would they be judgmental? Would they be disgusted? Would they be angry?  
  
.Would they be forgiving?  
  
Seifer tried to brush the thoughts of Balamb Garden's occupants out of his mind. Why should he care what they thought of him anyhow? None of them mattered to him. They were all just sheep, sticking together like a herd, scared to stray away from the path they were on. Seifer was not like them, he had never been and never would be. He could not play along as though he were. He had come to this epiphany even as a child. The other orphans had played along with one another and pretended that the world was a decent place and that they all had futures ahead of them with kind families. Seifer would not play with the others, and instead would bully and tease them. He was also unwilling to accept the world as the other orphans had, and he did not harbor the childish hope that there would be a happy ending to his orphan life.  
  
He had never been one to conform, it was more natural for him to be an outsider. He wasn't sure what his true identity was, but he knew he was not a sheep. He could not deny that the path he had chosen was a lonely one though.  
  
Part of him wanted to walk into Garden, just to have an interaction with people that he knew. He realized that their reaction to him would probably be unpleasant, but he was at the point in loneliness where any social contact would be an improvement upon his current state. As though his limbs had a mind of their own, he began to take steps toward the Garden. His mind was telling him how foolish he was being, but he felt as though he had no control over his body. As he moved forward Balamb seemed to increase in it's size and grandeur, and all of a sudden he became very overwhelmed and intimidated by it. He stopped within a few strides of the entrance. Just as he was about to turn away and start back, he heard a suspicious feminine voice say "Seifer Almasy?"  
  
Seifer clenched his teeth and cursed himself for being such a fool. What on Earth had possessed him to come so close to this place? With his back still to the speaker, Seifer said slightly annoyed "Trepe."  
  
He turned around to face Quistis, her appearance much the same since his trial. Her long blond hair was pinned up in her typical style, an updo that Seifer had always found to fit her uptight personality quite well. She wore her black boots and a knee length skirt as she often had, with a top that exposed just a small portion of her flat stomach. As her student he had always resented her for exposing her flesh, teasing all males with what they would never have, but would always want. Quistis Trepe was oblivious to the thoughts of her male students, and it was probably better off that way. She wouldn't want to know what her male students thought.Seifer laughed at himself for having, at one point in time, thought them as well. She was the picture of a perfect woman, but Seifer was never able to stand her personality.  
  
Quistis had quickly examined Seifer as well. He was a little shabbier looking, with bags under his brooding eyes. His appearance was not very surprising though, but his stare seemed to reveal a little more about him. There was not the same confidence about him, and his spirit seemed beaten down. She almost felt pity for him, before he opened his mouth.  
  
"What are you fucking looking at?" Seifer spoke, turning away from her gaze. He knew he was being hypocritical though, because he had been staring at her as well. He felt that he needed to break the silence and tension somehow though. Perhaps he had not been very tactful, but it had worked.  
  
Unphased by Seifer's statement, Quistis cocked her head to the side a little and said, "What are you doing here?"  
  
Quistis' eyes were on him once more, and he could feel them stabbing into him. Crossing his arms he questioned back "What the hell does it matter to you?"  
  
"It doesn't," Quistis shot back. She confirmed with her words what Seifer had always thought: his existence did not matter. She walked past him, too tired to deal with this man, and headed toward the entrance of Balamb Garden.  
  
Just as she was about to walk in the door, something inside of Seifer caused him to speak up, "What are you doing out here so late?" He was genuinely curious because Quistis was always rule abiding, and was not known to stay out past curfew.  
  
"I don't believe that is any of your business," Quistis said rudely. She was not in the mood to speak to anyone, especially not Seifer Almasy. She quickly said "Goodnight," to let Seifer know the conversation was over and entered the Garden. Seifer looked at the door for a moment and then turned away to head back to his motel.  
  
As he walked away, Quistis peered out of the doorway. She watched as his tall silhouette disappeared into the night. She wondered if this would be the last time she would see him. Why had he shown up all of a sudden anyhow? It was too late to entertain such thoughts. She shut the door, leaving Seifer on the outside. 


	3. Disappearing Act

Author's Note: Alright! Chapter three is up. Things are coming right along. I have all of these ideas stirring in my mind. I think there will be quite a few more chapters to come! Be patient: Romance shall come. You can't rush these things! ;-) Please review so I know if I am on the right track.  
  
Disclaimer: You know the drill (or at least you should by now). I own nuttin'!  
  
***  
  
Quistis awoke in the morning, still groggy and yearning for more sleep. Last night had been a strange night to say the least. She'd gone undercover at a bar in Fisherman's Horizon, hoping to hear some talk about the mysterious disappearances of a few people in town. She had not been directly assigned as a SeeD to the case, but there was something about it that drew her in. Balamb Garden was only staying at Fisherman's Horizon for a few days for repairs and supplies. Thus, if she wanted going to solve this mystery, she would have to do it fast. She could not keep her mind off of it and thought it was weird that the town carried on as though nothing had happened. Three people had disappeared, but the town did not seem phased. There did not appear to be an investigation led by the police either. No one seemed to know the three people, and yet the records showed that they had all lived in Fisherman's Horizon for years. Quistis could sense in her gut that things were not right.  
  
She had sat at the bar for hours, and uncovered nothing. Instead she had spent her time trying to keep middle-aged drunks from hitting on her. She had gotten tired of everything and left empty handed. Things had only gotten stranger when she reached Balamb Garden. As she had approached the Garden she had seen a familiar figure, but she had thought she was too tired and was imagining things. Once she was closer, she knew for a fact that it was Seifer Almasy. She had hesitated for a moment before saying anything to him. It must have been about half a year since she had seen the fallen knight. It made her uneasy to think back on his devilish smirk and cruel eyes he'd flashed at her during the Sorceress War. She wondered if he still had some evil inside of him. Was that why he had come back to Balamb Garden? Part of her was afraid of him, but the fighter in her knew that she would never back down to him.  
  
Their conversation had yielded Quistis no explanation for his sudden appearance. She was not having luck in finding answers to any mysteries. It was very frustrating for Quistis, because she could not give up and say something was unexplainable. She knew that everything had an answer to it, and she had the compulsive need to uncover it.  
  
It was not until after Seifer left that a thought came to Quistis: Was Seifer somehow involved in these strange disappearances? Perhaps he still did have some evil inside of him. The thought was unsettling. She decided that she would try to find where he was staying, and ask him a few questions about the disappearances. She wouldn't be so bold as to accuse him of them, but she wanted to try to get out some information from him.  
  
Quistis wondered where Seifer could be staying. She thought back to the night before and recalled the direction he had been walking. Perhaps if she followed that route, she would stumble upon his residence.  
  
Just as Quistis managed to pull her body out of her bed, a knock came at her door. She wondered who the heck it could be this early in the morning. She quickly grabbed a sweater to put over her head, since she had worn just a thin tank top to bed, and opened the door. On the other side of the door was someone very unexpected.  
  
"Squall?" Quistis said hoarsely since it was the first thing she had said that morning. "Is something wrong?"  
  
It was very rare for Squall to appear at her room, especially this early in the morning. His worried expression made her even more concerned.  
  
Squall ran a hand through his chestnut hair, only to have it fall back into his face. "Do you remember Adrien Cummings?"  
  
Quistis nodded her head. Adrien had been her brightest student. He had always aced his examinations and was an excellent problem solver. The only thing that had held him back from being a great SeeD was that he lacked in physical strength. Quistis knew the kid had tried extremely hard to master his weapon and do well in the field, but some things could not be learned, they just had to be natural.  
  
"Of course I remember him. What about him?" Quistis was a concerned now, for Squall's eyes were reflecting worry, despite the fact that he was trying very hard to remain in reserve and not upset Quistis.  
  
"Well, he's disappeared," Squall said frankly. Quistis was shocked to hear this.  
  
"How the hell could he disappear?" Quistis was letting her emotions show through. Adrien had always been a very kind individual and Quistis and him had always gotten along well.  
  
"This morning his window was broken and we could not find him anywhere." Squall trailed off.  
  
"How the hell could someone break into his window without the alarm setting off?" Quistis was becoming angry now. Balamb Garden was supposed to have one of the most advanced security systems available. There were numerous cameras on the premises, and after curfew each dormitory had alert systems on the windows and door that would activate if opened or broken. Adrien's room should have alarmed and he should never have been kidnapped.  
  
"I don't know," Squall said, a little perturbed. He knew that he would be getting questioned about the incident all day long. This was the joy of being commander of Balamb Garden. "It must have been premeditated because somehow the security system was deactivated for a few minutes last night."  
  
"No one has the security code but Cid and you though, right?" Quistis was trying to run possibilities through her mind.  
  
"That's true. Perhaps it was hacked into though, although I don't know how that could be possible," Squall stated. He was beginning to make Quistis angry since he was remaining so calm and virtually unphased by the situation. What human could be so solid and together all the time? He was definitely the only person she knew that could mask his thoughts and feelings so well. Those crystal blue eyes were the only tip off to the worry inside his mind, despite the rest of his body's façade of confidence.  
  
He continued speaking in a professional manner. "There will be an investigation. I wanted your input on who I should assign to it."  
  
Quistis lowered her head for a moment and then looked up to him saying "Me. I'll investigate it."  
  
Squall sighed and told her "Quistis, you all ready have a lot of things going on. Do you really think you should take on something else?"  
  
Quistis felt as though she was being patronized. How could he know what she could handle? The only thing she felt she couldn't bear was seeing someone do a half-assed job of something, especially when it was over a very important matter. This was why she overloaded herself with work; she was the only person she could truly trust to get things done to her liking.  
  
Glaring at Squall she said definitively "Yes I think I should do this."  
  
Squall shook his head but seceded and said tiredly "Whatever. Don't be afraid to ask for help though. Choose anyone you would like to aid you."  
  
He turned around and walked out of her room. Quistis sat down on her bed and reflected upon the events. Where would she get started? Was all this related to the other disappearances of Fisherman Horizon? She tried desperately to piece a puzzle to which she had gathered very few pieces. 


	4. Some Never Change

Author's Note: This chapter is fairly long, it's mostly dialog though, so hopefully it will go by fast. Hope I portrayed the characters okay. Thanks for reading! Please reply.  
  
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN IT.  
  
***  
  
Quistis wasn't sure where she should start her investigating for the day. The only thought that kept coming into her mind was Seifer. His behavior had been suspicious yesterday, and although she hoped he was not related to the events that had taken place, she could not be altogether certain. Thus, she was more determined than before to go and see him.  
  
She wasn't sure if she should bring someone along with her to find Seifer, just in case he turned out to be dangerous. She assumed that Seifer probably wouldn't speak to her if she brought his ex Rinoa with her. Zell was out of the running because he had a short fuse that Seifer set off much too easily. Selphie held a grudge against Seifer for having destroyed much of Trabia during the war. As much as she hated to admit it, her best bet would be to take along..Irvine..She could foresee her annoyance. Irvine was a decent guy though, albeit he was cocky and womanizing.  
  
Quistis quickly got ready and headed over to Irvine's room. After she knocked on the door she could hear whispering before the door opened to reveal the tall auburn haired man, smiling wide at Quistis. "Quistis!?" he said surprised. "Whatcha doin' here honey?"  
  
"I have to ask you for your help with something," she told him. A little suspicious, she attempted to look into his room.  
  
His smile widened and he said "Anything that you want," while letting a wink flash.  
  
Quistis sighed, but ignored him. "I just need you to go interview someone with me."  
  
"Sure, just give me a few minutes to get ready," Irvine said. Quistis knew that something was going on in his room.  
  
"Can I come in Irvine?" Quistis asked. She wanted to see him squirm.  
  
Irvine stretched his arm out across the doorway, blocking the entrance off. "Well I can't get ready with you in my room."  
  
Quistis was pushing past him now and Irvine just sighed. There was no use stopping a determined woman like Quistis. She glanced around the room quickly and then rested her eyes on his bed where there was a small bulge. She shot him a glare and Irvine just shrugged. Quistis walked up to the bed and said "Good morning Selphie."  
  
The sheets lowered and Selphie came out of hiding. "Awww, how'd ya know Quistis?" Selphie sighed.  
  
"We weren't doing anything Quistis. Honest," Irvine said. His smirk gave it all away though.  
  
Selphie caught on to the lie and said "Yeah, we were just going over some figures last night and I got pretty tired and just spent the night. It's not what you think."  
  
"I was paying special attention to going over one particular figure," Irvine said laughing and looking over to Selphie.  
  
Selphie shot him the worst look she could manage and jumped out of the bed, saying "Irvy! How could you say that! I'm really mad at you," and stormed out of the room.  
  
There was a short silence before Irvine spoke up and said, "So like I said, give me a few minutes to get ready, okay?"  
  
Quistis laughed and said, "Fine, I'll be back in a little while."  
  
She turned to leave, but stopped when Irvine asked her, "Hey- who was it we were gonna interview?"  
  
Quistis smirked and said plainly, "Seifer."  
  
Irvine's expression was one of disbelief and said "Seifer!? As in Almasy? You have got a lot of explaining to do Quistis."  
  
"I'll tell you about it on the way there. It might take us a while to get there," Quistis said, since she still didn't know where exactly he was staying.  
  
"Fine, " Irvine said as she walked out of the room. He knew the day would only continue to get more interesting.  
  
***  
  
Seifer was startled and reached for Hyperion in instinct. He always kept it close by, even while he slept. Knocking at his door had awoken and surprised him. He hardly ever got visitors, especially not early in the morning, since most of the people in the motel slept much of the day, or were passed out drunk.  
  
Sitting on his bed, with a tight grip on his weapon, Seifer called out "What!?"  
  
The other side replied in a high-pitched voice, "Seifer? It's Quistis."  
  
Seifer let out a frustrated groan and stalked to the door, jerking it open and startling Quistis and Irvine. He looked over to Irvine and said, "You didn't say cowboy was here with you."  
  
Irvine stood taller and looked Seifer in his eyes, "You got a problem with that?"  
  
Seifer narrowed his menacing eyes and said, "What do you think? Maybe if you had some intelligence-"  
  
"Hey man, you better watch-" Irvine started.  
  
"What the fuck are you gonna-" continued Seifer.  
  
The two both suddenly halted when Quistis stepped between them and shouted "Shut up you two!"  
  
The two men kept an eye on one another as Quistis continued to speak. "I just wanted to ask you a few question Seifer."  
  
Suspicious, Seifer crossed his arms and asked Quistis "Then why the bodyguard?"  
  
He knew full well that Quistis had brought Irvine along in case Seifer was dangerous. Quistis knew that he had figured this out. Neither person was stupid. "I don't want to feel like I'm ambushed Trepe," Seifer said. "Please get the hell out of my room."  
  
Before Quistis or Irvine could reply, the door was slammed in their faces. Seifer walked back over to his bed, took a seat, and massaged his temples. He suddenly felt like he had a huge headache. He knew it was only going to get worse.  
  
Quistis kept knocking at the door. "Seifer, would you quit being a big baby and open the fucking door!?"  
  
Seifer chuckled to himself on the other side. He found it so easy for him to upset Quistis. It was one of his special talents.  
  
"Seifer! I'm not going to leave until I speak to you!" Quistis yelled to him. A few minutes passed and Quistis continued to knock despite Irvine telling her to give up. Seifer knew that she would not give up, she was much too stubborn. He figured that he mind as well get the encounter over with and walked back to the door. When he opened it Quistis was standing with her hands on her hips, while Irvine was relaxing by sitting against the wall.  
  
"Well it's about damn time," Quistis said. She pushed past Seifer and made her way into his room. "Nice place," she said sarcastically. There were clothes and random crap strewn all across the floor, with a not surprisingly unmade bed against the wall.  
  
"Thanks, but I don't need your criticism," Seifer shot to her, accompanied by a stare just long enough to make Quistis uncomfortable. Irvine stood in the doorway, and when Seifer realized his presence, he went to the door and flung it shut.  
  
Behind the door, Irvine shouted to Quistis, "Hey Quist, can I have a word with you PLEASE?"  
  
Annoyed with Seifer's immaturity and uncooperativeness, Quistis walked to the door and opened it up again, revealing a now very pissed off Irvine. "Irvine, could you wait out here while Mr. Almasy and I have our little talk?"  
  
"Whatever," Irvine said, taking his seat again.  
  
She shut the door again and turned to Seifer, who was sitting at the edge of his bed, staring down at the dust layered floor. He chuckled and said "You still call me 'Mr. Almasy' when you get annoyed with me, just like old times"  
  
"Yeah, well some things never seem to change," Quistis told him. She began to pace around the room. There was a long pause.  
  
"So what are these questions you had for me?" Seifer finally asked. He wanted to get this over with.  
  
"Well firstly, how long have you been staying at Fisherman's Horizon?" If he'd been here long enough, he may have known the three men who had disappeared. If he'd known the men, he might have had a reason to hurt them.  
  
"'Bout a month," he said quickly.  
  
"Do you know very many people in town?" Quistis said.  
  
Seifer cocked a brow and asked her curiously, "Do you just want to catch up with me, or are these questions going somewhere?"  
  
Quistis had hoped this encounter would go smoothly, but she knew that was an inane hope to have. Nothing was ever easy when dealing with Seifer Almasy. She decided to cut through the bullshit and simply ask him, "Do you know anything about the three disappearances in town?"  
  
Seifer hesitated and looked down to the ground. After a moment he looked up to Quistis and curtly said "No."  
  
Quistis tried to read his emerald eyes to see if there was truth in his word. His eyes told her he was being honest and a relief set over her. She could have cared less if he had answered yes or no to her question, it was the way he would look at her afterward that would convince her of his truthfulness.  
  
"Okay," Quistis said nodding. Seifer stood up from the bed and began to approach her. He could see Quistis tense up the closer he became. She did not back away though. He stopped about an arm's length away from her.  
  
Looking down to her he smirked and said, "Is that all Trepe? Or did you have another reason for coming all this way?"  
  
He took another step toward her, his lips more upturned than before. He purposely eyed the length of her body, knowing full well that it would make her uncomfortable. He liked playing this little game with her. He always tried to make her uncomfortable, angry, sad, or arouse any other sort of reaction. Typically it was easier for him to achieve negative reactions rather than positive ones though. He loved the way she looked when she was upset with him, so full of life and attitude. He thought it was a pleasant difference between the uptight, conservative side she allowed most to bear witness to.  
  
"Actually, it isn't," Quistis told him. "Why were you at Balamb Garden yesterday?"  
  
Seifer shrugged his broad shoulders and said, "I don't know."  
  
Now Quistis was the one to move toward him, and was just a few inches away from him. Tilting her head back a little to be able to look him directly in the face, she said threateningly, "Well you sure as hell better remember why. I'm not going to take your bullshit any longer."  
  
Seifer was a bit shocked by her proximity and boldness. He honestly did not know his reason for being there last night. He had to tell her something though and told her the only reason he could, "I was out for a walk and just happened upon it. Okay? What the hell does it matter anyways?"  
  
Quistis chose not to tell him about Adrien and said, "It doesn't matter."  
  
She turned away from him and started toward the door before the sound of his voice stopped her.  
  
"It must matter if you came here to ask me. It's not polite to lie," Seifer teased. Quistis just rolled her eyes. She was not about to take suggestions from Seifer about manners. He continued speaking to her after coming to a small revelation, "Something big must have happened. Otherwise, you wouldn't give me the time of day."  
  
Quistis sighed, a little bit angry that Seifer could foresee her motives. "That's not-"  
  
"True," Seifer said, finishing off her sentence. "You are just so damn predictable Trepe. Why don't you just tell me the fucking truth?"  
  
Quistis clenched her teeth, trying desperately to hold back her anger and keep from attacking the bastard. "You want to know so fucking bad? Fine. A student, Adrien Cummings, was kidnapped last night. Three other people from this godforsaken town are also missing. There is no explanation for any of this and I don't even know who to suspect."  
  
"Except for me," Seifer interrupted again.  
  
"Well you don't have a very good alibi Seifer! What am I supposed to think?" The two were getting closer to each other now, since their argument was heating up.  
  
"It's so easy for you to just blame everything on me, isn't it? Every time that anything ever went wrong and I was around, it was instantly my fault. In the classroom, my fights with Squall, the Sorceress War. I'm so sick of these fucking guilt trips! Instead of trying to take the easy way out, why don't you actually do some research?"  
  
"You are so full of shit!" Quistis screamed to him. Her face felt like it was on fire. "I have been trying to find out information, but no one seems to know anything around here, including you-"  
  
"See! There you go again. I'm always part of the problem," Seifer complained again. He did not know why he was reacting as he was, but something had come over him. Perhaps he had been keeping things in for too long and they had accumulated so much that he could not stand it any longer. He was confused about his reaction to Quistis, and she was perplexed by his behavior as well.  
  
"What the hell is up with you?" Quistis said making direct eye contact with him. He turned away from her gaze and remained silent. "I'll admit it, a lot of times you are the problem. Prove me wrong though- When were you ever part of the solution?"  
  
Seifer had his back to her and was staring at the ground. He had no answer to her simple question and he hated it. "That's what I thought," Quistis said quietly. She began to walk towards the door again, and again was stopped when Seifer spoke.  
  
"Wait," he said almost too quiet for Quistis to hear. "I don't think you're doing things right."  
  
Quistis turned around and saw that Seifer was now looking at her. She crossed her arms and said, "What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
He approached Quistis and told her "Let me show you."  
  
"What?" Quistis said. Why did he have to confuse her so much?  
  
"Come back here later and I'll show you how to get some information," Seifer said with a little smirk. Quistis doubted his methods would be any more successful than hers were, but she was willing to try anything.  
  
"Fine," Quistis said. "Later then."  
  
Quistis left his room and Irvine was relieved that she had finally emerged. "What took you so long?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing. Seifer was just being his typical self," Quistis sighed. "Some people never change."  
  
Little did Quistis know that Seifer would be thinking the same about her. 


End file.
